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Mihara
i is a city located on the south-eastern coast of Hiroshima Prefecture with a population of about 99,636 people, containing multiple districts and towns. Sitting right on the Seto-Inland Sea, Mihara is an ideal place to meet up with friends from around the prefecture. While not quite as popular as the neighboring Onomichi, Mihara is an often over-looked town that has plenty of things to do and see. From beautiful Poporo Park to the Buttsuji Temple, Mihara is steeped in traditional beauty and Japanese culture. Plus, you must try the Octopus! It's Mihara's most famous food! Transportation Getting in and around To/from the airport Hiroshima International Airport is located in Mihara. Access to central Mihara from the airport is available by bus, or car via interstate 49, or 82 to the 33, both connect to Interstate 2 going east directly into downtown Mihara. By train JR Mihara Station is built upon the remains of Mihara Castle and serves the JR Sanyo Line and Kure Line. It is also a KODAMA stop on the Shinkansen (bullet train). By the JR line, it takes about 10 min to get to Onomichi, 30 min to get to Fukuyama and 1 hr 15min to get to Hiroshima City. By the Kure Line, it takes about 1 hr 40 min to get to Kure. By Shinkansen, it takes a mere 25 minutes to get to Hiroshima City and only 1 hr 30 min to get to Osaka. By bus Beyond the local buses, Mihara's bus system has routes with service to Hiroshima, the airport, and many other major cities and locations in and outside Hiroshima Prefecture. The bus terminal is located directly in front of Mihara Station. There are plenty of different buses that travel to all parts of the Mihara area including Kui, Hongo, etc. There are also buses that travel to Takehara, but very rarely. The bus to Onomichi has been discontinued. Airport Limousine: The bus to Hiroshima airport leaves in front of the station and takes about 40 mins to get there. For the schedule, see http://www.hij.airport.jp/english/access/bus/b07.html. By car The largest interstate is #2 extending west as far as Shimonoseki and east as far as Osaka. The nearest Highway interchange is a short drive north from central Mihara (on Interstate 25) in the town of Kui. You can take Route 2 west to get to Hongo or you can take the highway east, which will take you to Onomichi and Fukuyama. It's very scenic but can be a little slow during rush hour. The fastest way to get to Mihara by car would be by taking the Sanyo Expressway. The Sanyo Expressway will take you all the way to Hiroshima, as well as all the way up to the Kansai area. To get to Kui-cho, you will take Route 25 north into the mountains. You can get to Kui in about 25 minutes by car. By Ferry The Mihara Ferry Port is located across from Mihara Station, on the opposite side of the highway, Route 2. There are ferries that will take you to nearly all of the neighboring islands in the Seto Inland Sea, such as Innoshima, Omishima, and Osakikamijima. All ferries leave from this port. Working JET placements There are currently 4 JET positions in the Mihara BOE and several more within the Mihara area, through the Hiroshima Prefectural BOE. Incoming/Outgoing JETs Foreign community Sightseeing Places to visit Mount Fudekage (筆影山 - 311 meters) is a popular hiking destination south of Mihara City. The plateau at the summit features a brand new viewing platform and a small cherry tree picnic field. Mount Ryuou (竜王山 - 445 meters) and various scenic spots can be reached via the hiking trails on the mountain. Buttsuji Temple '''(佛通寺) A bus ride from Mihara station. Very beautiful in Autumn. See here for details. '''Sunami Beach Park (すなみ海浜公園管理棟) Sunami Beach Park was internationally recognized for its “barrier-free” design. It is a 20 min bus ride from Mihara station on the Seto Inland Sea. There are picnic benches and a nice Italian restaurant nearby. Mihara Onsen '''(みはらし温泉夢の宿) The water is at a temperature of 45.1℃ which makes it the hottest hot spring in Hiroshima prefecture. There are 26 baths to choose from including a bubble bath. At the onsen you will also find lodgings a seafood restaurant and karaoke room. It is a 15 min bus ride from Mihara station and costs 1,410 yen (for three hours) '''Chu Shinrin Park and Sankeien Garden (中森林公園三原) Right by Hiroshima airport. A huge natural park comprised of a rich green forest. Within the park, there is an observation plaza, a forest where non-native trees are planted, and a cycling road, which is 13.6 Km in circumference, where international bicycle races are held. The strolling-type of Japanese garden called Sankeien Garden is very pretty and has seasonal blooming flowers all year round. Festivals 'Yassa Matsuri -' Probably the first real festival you will experience in Japan. It is held the second weekend of August. Many people perform the 430 year old Yassa dance, even the new JETs. 'Shinmeichi Festival '- The second weekend of February. Be sure to buy the Daruma (Dharma figure) for good luck. Shopping Mihara has stores for all of the bare essentials you would need in your every day life. Although the variety of Mihara's shopping is not quite as diverse as bigger cities like Hiroshima City and Fukuyama, you will find plenty of markets, pharmacies and clothing stores to supply you with your daily needs. Supermarkets Department stores Home & Garden stores Bookstores Others Eating While Mihara is famous for octopus, you'll find a wide variety of delicious restaurants with the friendliest people around. From staples like ramen and yakiniku to Indian food, Mihara has an excellent selection of good eats. In front of the station, there is a interesting brick street called Marine Street. All along Marine Street, there are a number of bars and restaurants to eat at. You'll find yakitori, seafood, ramen, and much more. Japanese food Foreign food Drinking Mihara isn't necessarily the most lively place when it comes to its night life. But there are plenty of small bars and karaoke bars to visit on a night out with your friends. They are all mainly located around Mihara Station. There are plenty of these smaller bars around the area in front of the station and I would definitely suggest going out one night and discovering some new bars for yourself. The bar owners are usually very friendly and open to foreigners. Izakayas Bars Karaoke Living Banks Post offices Medical facilities There are 3 main hospitals in Mihara. There are also plenty of smaller clinics along Route 2 that you can visit if you do not feel like going to the hospitals. Libraries Hair dressers Sports facilities Travel agents Map External links *Mihara City official homepage (Japanese) *Judo classroom in Mihara city https://miharajudo1.web.fc2.com/ Category:Hiroshima Prefecture Category:Articles using Google maps Category:Mihara City